


yours

by whimsicott



Category: Twisted-Wonderland (Video Game)
Genre: Crime AU, M/M, modern day AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:49:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27816364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whimsicott/pseuds/whimsicott
Summary: Azul Ashengrotto did not expect to see Jade Leech at his door, smiling wryly and telling him that he had killed a man.
Relationships: Azul Ashengrotto/Jade Leech
Comments: 6
Kudos: 50





	yours

**Author's Note:**

> Dedicated to [Rin](https://twitter.com/millefleurin).

Azul was not sure what he expected to find when his doorbell rang out again and again during a stormy night, but he definitely did not expect this.

He stands at his door, wide-eyed and speechless at the man in front of him.

He has plenty of reasons to be surprised. To begin with, he did not expect to see this man ever again. No, _Jade Leech_ was a part of his past, one he had come to terms with losing. One he forced himself to make do without.

And after five years, the wound of Jade leaving him had more or less healed. It left him scarred, sure, but Azul had accepted that Jade is not meant to be by his side and moved on.

So his first reaction upon seeing Jade’s face, complete with a troubled smile, is indignation. Indignation that Jade thinks he can walk back into Azul’s life when Azul has decided he is going to live without Jade. Indignation that Jade can ring his doorbell in the middle of the night without any shame.

But then he looks down towards Jade’s white shirt and a black jacket to notice something else.

Blood.

But it doesn’t look like Jade himself is wounded. 

Someone else’s blood then, Azul realizes. He looks up once more, coming face to face with Jade.

“Azul,” Jade calls out to him with that familiar gentle voice. His lips quivering as he says carefully:

“I killed a man.”

_Azul was nine years old when he resolved to be entirely self-sufficient. He was going to be someone who could use others but never truly need them. He was going to be clever and skilled and capable._

_Azul was nine years old when he spent his time hiding under the jungle gym of his neighborhood with a book or two._

_“Why are you here?” it was Jade who approached him first. Azul was instantly defensive, he curled into himself as he hugged his book of the day to his chest._

_“C’mon, come play with us,” Floyd called out to him._

_The two of them looked identical at first glance, but upon closer look, they were distinct from one another. The shapes of their eyes were different, but more than that, it was how those eyes looked at Azul that made the most distinct impression. Whereas Floyd’s eyes were playful and bright, Jade’s was cool and sharp, and those cool, sharp eyes sent a shiver down Azul’s spine._

_But still, when they joined him in his hiding spot, Azul did not truly stop them. Sure, he complained. But half-hearted complaints were all they were._

_Truth was, despite any resolutions he made for himself, Azul was glad to have someone else._

_To have people he could call friends._

_“We’ll be friends forever,” Floyd had said so easily with a wide grin on his face one day, not a year later when they played on the swings._

_“We will be,” Jade said, the credible guarantee to Floyd’s impulses._

_And Azul had believed them._

_Azul had believed them because he wanted to._

_And it would be years later before he regretted that._

It had been ages since Azul last dreamt of the past. But he recognizes that it was probably inevitable. After all, Jade Leech is sleeping on his sofa. He stares up at the ceiling, stretching out time so he doesn’t have to get up right away.

Last night, he had let Jade in. He had given Jade clean clothes, a towel, and his sofa to sleep on. 

Jade, who was covered in blood not his own. Jade, who said that he killed a man.

He did not ask any questions. Not even who or why.

He isn’t sure how he’s going to face Jade this morning. He knows he will eventually have to. He can’t stay in bed forever.

Maybe it’s better to pull off the band-aid quickly, he thinks. But that resolve still doesn’t stop his body from taking its sweet time with getting up from the bed.

It had been five years since he last saw Jade. Five years ago, when both Floyd and Jade disappeared from his life, having decided that they want nothing more to do with his mob business. 

It wasn’t as if Azul didn’t realize that being in the mob isn’t for everyone, but he had truly believed that Jade and Floyd would stay to the end. Instead, they faded away from Azul’s life, eventually disappearing into normalcy.

And now Jade is here in Azul’s flat. Jade, saying that he killed a man. 

That was the kind of problem Azul should have. Not Jade who had returned to a quiet, ordinary life.

Azul slips his feet into his soft slippers before stepping out of his bedroom.

“The police are asking any witness to step up.”

The unfamiliar sound of the newscaster’s voice fills his living-dining area. Looks like Jade turned on the television and is now watching the news broadcast of a murder.

The murder he committed, Azul realizes as he steps quietly towards Jade.

Jade is curled up against the armrest of the sofa, watching the news listlessly. His eyes seem vacant as the newscaster continues to report the murder - a man, found murdered in the backseat of his own SUV - dead from multiple stab wounds. The police are currently analyzing the DNA evidence left behind.

“It’ll lead to me,” Jade says dryly.

“Strange,” Azul says. “I would like to think you’re more careful than that.”

“I guess I’ve lost my touch for crime,” Jade shrugs. “How about you? Are you still with the mob?”

Azul chuckles.

“Someone like myself can’t go straight. But I guess that’s what I thought about you and Floyd. Yet you two managed to live normally for five years.”

Jade says nothing to this retort. He turns back to the news, now changing from the murder report to one about the rise of gang activity on the west side of the city.

“This one you?” Jade asks.

“No, it’s this other gang — Savanaclaw. A real pain in the ass.”

Jade hums. He would not know about Savanaclaw. The up and rising gang has recently entered the city, having taken over almost the entirety of the west side of town. But this started long after Jade left the criminal life.

Azul walks around the sofa to take a seat on the other side of Jade, keeping a space apart between the two of them.

“So,” Azul starts. “Are you going to tell me why you killed that man?”

Jade remains quiet, blankly watching the television. The noise of the television fills the silence between the two of them.

The uncomfortable silence of two strangers, Azul realizes. After all, he has no clue what Jade has been up to in the last five years. On the other hand, Jade — Jade might have a guess what Azul has been up to, piecing different news reports and associating it with Azul — but he would not know the actual truth behind everything.

“I,” Jade finally says aloud. “I want to make a deal with you.”

Azul expected some sort of answer. Instead, this is what he gets from Jade.

“A deal?” Azul raises his eyebrow.

“That’s still your thing, right?” Jade says as he looks straight at Azul, his mismatched eyes as eerie as they’ve always been.

“I suppose,” Azul shrugs. 

It still is. Azul is known as the wish granter among the mob — someone who can make any wish come true for a price. It’s a role he wholeheartedly enjoys. It makes him feel powerful. 

This is why he can’t ever leave mob business behind; he’s too good of a fit for it.

“But suppose I say yes,” Azul continues. “What would someone on the run have to give to me?”

Jade smiles, he shifts closer and picks up Azul’s hand, placing it on his heart. 

“How about the only thing I have?” Jade asks slowly.

Azul can feel Jade’s steady heartbeat under his hand. Rhythmic, unrushed, and steady.

“My life,” Jade says quietly. “I can give you my life.”

And with his hand upon Jade’s heart, Azul feels like he could truly grasp Jade’s life in his palms.

“You look like hell,” Idia says as soon as Azul enters their office.

Their front is a small cosmetic boutique in the artsy side of town, the idea being entirely Azul’s because he doesn’t like the typical pizza chain or laundromat as a front. A cosmetic boutique is elegant, without any offensive smell drifting to their office upstairs.

Idia Shroud, his partner in crime lives in the office. He makes himself content with a tiny personal space as long as he has his computers and tablets.

“I’ve been through hell,” Azul sighs. He doesn’t think he’s exaggerating. After all, he did let someone who’s supposed to be dead to him into his home. He throws his coat onto the coat hanger by the door. “How’s everything?”

“Could be better,” Idia shrugs. “Our counterfeit market is getting crowded out by this Savanaclaw gang. They’re troublesome.”

“I can guess,” Azul sighs.

“But that’s not what’s giving you hell,” Idia says. Idia might be a bit of a shut-in, but it doesn’t make him less sharp.

“No, but it’s none of your business.”

Idia shrugs in reply. He’s not going to push any further. After all, Idia and Azul are business partners first and foremost. The years have endeared Azul to Idia, and to an extent, he knows he can count on Idia’s loyalty, but they keep each other on an arm’s length, never truly becoming friends.

“What do you want to do about this whole Savanaclaw business then?” Idia asks.

“Push back, flood them out of the market,” Azul replies. “They’re all bark — that’s why they have to posture around like juvenile bullies like this.”

Idia hums in agreement. 

“Alright then,” he says. “I’ll send out instructions to our men to keep pushing out our product.”

Azul sits back and thinks about his conversation with Jade this morning.

_“In exchange for my life,” Jade said quietly. “I want you to protect me, no questions asked.”_

It’s not that Azul’s flat was a complete mess when Jade came along, but it definitely wasn’t the cleanest. He spends a lot of time outside and his home is more or less a place for him to eat dinner, shower, and sleep.

So it surprises him to come back to a sparkling, clean apartment — one where all his books are organized alphabetically by each author’s surname and his kitchen’s herbs and ingredients properly categorized.

“Jade?” He mutters.

“Yes?” Jade peeks his head out from the kitchen, a bright smile on his face.

He seems completely different from the Jade from last night. No, different from the Jade from this morning.

Azul knows that housework is one of Jade’s favorite things to do. Always has been the case since they were young. So he supposes this is Jade in his best element. Jade, trying to calm himself down.

Still, he keeps the television on. Currently, some sort of quiz game show is playing on the television — a quiz game show before the evening news, Azul guesses. Jade is watching out for what the news might say about him next.

“I went shopping today,” Jade says. “You really don’t keep your fridge well-stocked.”

“You’re in hiding and you went shopping?” Azul sighs at Jade’s recklessness.

“I wanted to make you dinner,” Jade replies like it’s the most natural thing for a runaway murder suspect to do. “And it’s almost done, so go take a seat.”

Azul’s dining area is just a small table in the kitchen with two chairs. In truth, the second chair was unneeded in the last five years. Azul always eats alone, never having any guests over. He has no one to invite as a guest after all — the closest to a friend he has is Idia who would not leave his office home-space even if he’s paid a thousand madols to do so. Still, he kept that second chair, perhaps as two chairs looked better than one.

It has also been a while since he last had a home-cooked meal. Part of his friendless bachelor life meant that cooking is more effort than it's worth; as such, he lives his life from one convenience store meal to another. Occasionally, he would spice up his life with a different flavor of instant noodles and that’s about the extent of it.

Instant noodles are not what Jade made. He serves clear soup together with vegetable and chicken stir-fry. 

Azul hates to admit it, but his mouth is watering at the sight. A simple meal, sure, but simple meals like this had not been a part of his single lifestyle. 

“I saw you went all out on cleaning too,” Azul says after he clears his throat, an attempt to hide how much he likes the sight of the meal Jade made.

“A clean home for a healthy mind,” Jade says as he serves rice for both of them. “You should take care of your place better.”

Azul snorts at this.

“Can I really have a healthy mind considering my line of work?”

“I believe so,” Jade smiles kindly at him. 

Jade has this way of ending the conversation on his terms. It’s the way he speaks, finalizing a discussion in his favor. And it seems like he hasn’t lost that ability. The two of them fall into a natural silence as they eat their food, Azul enjoying the homemade meal more than he would like.

“The victim is a forty-three years old local politician...” the noise of the television continues on near them. At this, Azul glances up towards the television on the wall.

“A politician, Jade?” He raises an eyebrow. “You sure know how to make my life difficult.”

Jade smiles wryly but says nothing to the matter. 

Right on cue, the television turns from the reporter to a red-haired young man in police uniform.

Azul whistles.

Captain Riddle Rosehearts. 

Azul is familiar with the captain of the 4th precinct. He’s gotten into trouble with the young captain before, and he has to say, Riddle is one of the most difficult police captains to handle. He’s dedicated to bringing down law-breakers. On top of it, he’s completely unbuyable as he wants nothing more than to see the laws upheld to its fullest extent. His flaw is his short temper, one Azul had utilized once or twice before.

Surely Jade himself is aware of Riddle Rosehearts. The young captain was just a detective when Jade worked with Azul, but even then he had been difficult.

“The murder is handled by the 4th,” Azul says, watching Riddle on television making his statement, “Now you’re really putting me to work.”

“Currently, we’re looking into one Jade Leech,” Riddle says on television, the news showing an ID photo of Jade. The ID photo bears enough resemblance to Jade, but it looks positively ugly next to the Jade in front of Azul. “If anyone has any lead regarding the whereabouts of Jade Leech or any information in regards to this case, please call the hotline below.”

Jade hums.

“You’ll have to do the grocery tomorrow, Azul,” he says, his tone completely unchanged despite having just been named a suspect for murder on national television. “Mind if I give you the list?”

“Can’t guarantee I’d get it right,” Azul answers with a shrug of his shoulders. 

He goes back to his dinner. Jade paid him with his life not to ask any questions. So he won’t — he might not be a completely clean character, but he always upholds his end of a deal.

Still, he can’t help but notice Jade looking at the television with a faraway look. 

_“It’s you, isn’t it?”_

_They were in middle school when Jade asked him that question with a smile on his face. Floyd, as usual, stood with a more air-headed smile as he followed on behind Jade._

_“I don’t understand what you mean,” Azul said, playing coy._

_He knew exactly what Jade meant._

_It was him who had made everyone’s wishes come true. It was him who had given those who wished for conventional beauty diet pills and pungent face wash. It was him who had given a basketball player new shoes and him who was behind every successful love letter._

_“Impressive,” Jade said. “You’re really impressive, Azul.”_

_Azul basked in the compliment._

_He had always enjoyed it best from Jade._

There’s something comforting about getting home with bags of groceries to a flat filled with the scents of a home-cooked meal. It’s not a scene that Azul ever expected to find himself in, but here he is, walking right into it because he’s housing a murderer. 

How very laughable, he thinks. 

“I’m back,” Azul announces as he takes off his shoes at the doorway.

“Welcome back,” Jade’s voice comes from the kitchen. “Did you get the rosemary?” 

Azul places the small bottle on the counter near Jade. 

“I don’t get why you can’t just use what I have,” Azul grumbles.

“You mean your four-years-old basil?” Jade says with a quiet chuckle. “No, it’s not even four-years-old. It expired four years ago.”

“I didn’t know herbs can expire,” Azul objects, but he slumps himself down on the sofa. 

Jade tends to keep the television on, one Azul has no plan on reprimanding him on. He understands that despite how normal Jade wants to play everything, he’s keeping track of his own case.

That or the pre-dinner quiz show is a good distraction for Jade.

“Don’t you get mad at the people on these quiz shows?” Azul asks. “The answer is always so obvious!”

“Maybe it’s the pressure,” Jade replies. 

It’s only then, with Azul glancing over to see Jade in the kitchen, ready to give his retort, that Azul realizes what is so off about Jade being there, alone in Azul’s kitchen.

Floyd isn’t there with him.

For as long as Azul had known the Leech twins, they’ve always been attached at the hips. Floyd had always been there with Jade — and when they befriended Azul, it was a done deal that Azul would be friends with not one of them but both of them. Similarly, when they left Azul, it was both of them together, not one of them.

But only Jade showed up at Azul’s doorstep. Only Jade is staying with Azul.

Suddenly, Azul realizes why Jade needs the television on.

He’s waiting to see whether or not Floyd would be dragged into this. 

And if Jade killed a man, there’s no way Floyd doesn’t know about it. 

The realization takes the words away from Azul’s lips. He finds himself distracted, his attention diverting away from the quiz show to the incomplete picture of Jade in his kitchen. 

“Dinner is ready,” Jade announces suddenly.

If he notices Azul staring, he says nothing about it.

The two of them eat their dinner in relative silence, making casual comments here and there about Azul’s day, all while the news is running the story of the murder. Captain Rosehearts appears once more, making a plea to the public to contact him in case they have any more information.

But other than that, there doesn’t seem to be any new progression in the investigation. 

Jade picks up the plates to wash them after they’re done while Azul remains at his seat, watching Jade’s back.

“It must be hard,” Azul says, taking Jade’s gaze away from the television. “Being separated from Floyd.”

Jade smiles sadly.

“I thought I said no questions?”

“I’m making an observation,” Azul replies easily. “You’re worried about Floyd.”

At this, Jade goes quiet, as if thinking over his answer carefully.

“I suppose you’re right,” he finally says as he places the last dish on the drying rack. He sits across from Azul at the dining table. “I do miss Floyd.”

Jade tries his best to keep his voice steady as he says that, but Azul can hear the longing in his voice.

Of course, he realizes. No one is more important to Jade than Floyd is.

“You know what?” Azul says. “I’ve got something that’ll help.”

“Oh?” Jade tilts his head.

Azul walks over to the fridge and takes out a six-pack of beer.

“Got this today,” he grins. “I’ll give three to you free of charge.”

“How generous,” Jade says with a chuckle.

At least he seems to have brightened up a little. He then walks over towards the bookshelf in the living area.

“What are you doing?” Azul asks.

“There’s something I know will make me feel better,” Jade says, browsing through the bottom-most shelf. “Ah, here we go.”

As soon as Jade holds up the album, Azul freezes up.

“That’s—“

“Your elementary school photo album,” Jade says with a cheerful, sadistic smile. “Come now, we should take a look.”

“Looks like I’m right to buy the beer,” Azul mutters. He brings the six-pack over to the couch, placing the cans of beer between him and Jade. “I can’t believe you want to look through that.”

“You were cute in elementary school,” Jade says as he opens the first page, pointing to a picture of a small, chubby Azul. “See, what did I say?”

Azul gives out an exaggerated sigh. 

“I knew I should’ve thrown that album away.”

“Why didn’t you?” Jade asks, sounding genuinely curious. “You’ve cut ties with a lot of things from your past, but you kept this.”

Azul cracks open a can of beer, sipping from the can to avoid answering. 

He can’t very well say that it’s because there, he has his memories with the Leech brothers. 

He has indeed gotten rid of most of the things pertaining to his past, but that album alone — he finds it hard to get rid of it, especially after the Leech brothers left him. It was the only thing left tying him to his past. 

And even if Azul fancies himself to be someone who keeps facing towards the future, it’s hard to completely cut off one’s past without feeling like he would regret it.

Not that he spends time going through the album regularly. No, it sits on his shelf, collecting dust — it’s something he does not want to see yet cannot throw away.

He’s glad Jade doesn’t keep going with that line of inquiry as he flips through the album.

“Ooh, this is our old school isn’t it?” Jade points to the building behind little Azul. “How nostalgic.”

“It’s closed now,” Azul says.

“You keep track of it?” Jade asks.

Azul shakes his head.

“It’s part of this turf we’re fighting over with Savanaclaw, but I won’t bore you with the details. I just walked past it one day while doing something for work and it’s closed. It’d be turned into a train station next year, or something like that.”

“I see,” Jade nods. “What a shame. I would like to take a look at it myself before it’s demolished.”

“But you're a fugitive,” Azul states. “I hope you’re not going out while I’m away.”

Jade gives him a pained smile.

“I’m not a child, Azul.”

“Good,” Azul says. “I can’t exactly keep up with the terms of our deal if you’re reckless.”

“And I’m sure that’s part of the fine print,” Jade chuckles. He reaches out for a can of beer himself, cracking it open and letting it fizz out a little. “Anyway, let’s see — ah look, it’s the first appearance of me in the album. Or is that Floyd?”

Azul sighs. Nevertheless, he shifts closer to Jade.

“That’s Floyd I think. Mismatched socks.”

“True, I would never wear mismatched socks,” Jade snorts. “Oh, Floyd.”

At this reminder of his twin brother, Jade stares up to the television again, where an analyst is talking about the nature of the crime.

Azul bites down on his lower lips and picks up the remote, turning off the television. This snaps Jade back to the reality of the apartment.

“Let’s forget about the news for tonight,” Azul suggests. “And go through this album as you wish.”

Jade stares for a second, but then he lets out a laugh.

“I thought you hate this album.”

“Do you want to see it or not?” Azul huffs.

“I do, I do,” Jade replies. He lifts his can of beer and tilts it towards Azul. “For an evening down the memory lane.”

Azul tilts his can to meet Jade’s, clinking the drinks together.

Azul wakes up with a splitting headache. It takes him a minute to realize he’s on his own sofa in the living room. He reaches for his glasses on the floor, finally bringing the scene into focus.

Noticing the beer cans on the floor and the large photo album on the table, he remembers now that he and Jade stayed up till late, drinking and looking at the album together.

Then, after that.

After that they fell asleep on the couch, Azul resting on top of Jade’s large, warm body.

But he’s alone now.

He pulls himself up, mildly cursing his headache. Jade. Is Jade gone? 

The thought throbs in his mind together with his headache. 

“Morning,” the familiar voice feels so far away. But when Azul jolts up, he realizes it comes from the kitchen.

Jade, looking like he had not just passed out half-drunk the night before. 

Not having hangovers has always been one of Jade’s special little skills.

“Jade, I’m,” Azul scratches his head, unsure how to continue his sentence. Unsure if Jade would still be there? But where else would Jade go?

“I’m making pancakes,” Jade says, filling that awkward silence Azul left. “Yours with plenty of butter and syrup, if I remember right?”

“That makes me sound so childish,” Azul laughs. He’s been trying to eat a little healthier, so pancakes with plenty of butter and syrup has not been on his menu for a long time. But he doesn’t object. After all, right now he’s still trying to process everything through his throbbing headache. 

“But I’m right, aren’t I?” Jade teases.

Azul says nothing more, but Jade knows he has won this.

On the other hand, Azul is just glad to see Jade still there. Of course, he’s worried about Jade’s well-being — because five years might have passed between them, but strangely, he still cares for Jade. But more than that, he realizes he doesn’t want Jade to leave.

“Can you turn on the television?” Jade asks from the kitchen.

“Yeah, of course.”

A new day, a new news cycle.

Azul grabs the remote and turns the television on to the morning news. 

Then, there’s a crash from the kitchen. A plate, dropping down the floor.

In his haze, it takes Azul a minute to realize why.

Floyd Leech is on the television.

“I’m telling you what I told the police,” Floyd says. “I don’t know where my brother is.”

Azul glances over at Jade, wide-eyed and tense at the sight of his brother.

“Jade,” Azul calls out carefully. “Does he—“

“I’m sorry about the plate,” Jade cuts in. “I’ll clean that up.”

“Jade that’s—“ Azul is about to say more but he holds himself back. He can see Jade’s hands trembling as he picks up pieces of the plate from the floor. He can see the hairs standing on Jade’s arm.

Floyd Leech is on the news, and this isn’t a development Jade wants. 

“Does Floyd know where you are?” Azul asks gently, bending down beside Jade to help with the broken plate.

“Floyd, he,” Jade starts, then bites down on his quivering lips. “No, he doesn’t know where I am. He’s telling the truth.”

“I see,” Azul says as he picks up the last piece of the plate. “We would have to keep it that way.”

Jade nods back in reply.

“I’m sorry,” Azul says quietly.

“What for?” Jade asks back as a response. “You’re helping me.”

He is, he knows.

But somehow, it feels cruel to keep the Leech brothers separated like this.

He says nothing more, letting Jade go back to preparing their breakfast, the silence heavy around them.

“I need you to do something for me,” Azul tells Idia as soon as he gets to his workplace.

Idia, who’s enjoying his breakfast of cereal when Azul comes in, puts down his bowl.

“Is it about Savanaclaw?”

“No, it’s a personal matter,” Azul says. “You know the politician who was murdered last week?”

“Oh yeah,” Idia nods. “That’s all over the news.”

“I need you to tell me whatever you can find out about him.”

Idia raises an eyebrow, but it isn’t part of his nature to grill Azul with questions.

“I can tell you he’s one of those corporate types,” Idia says without having to look up anything. Seems like Idia had looked it up on his own time. “The kind who makes himself an enemy to environmentalists.”

But that should have nothing to do with Jade.

“And then?” Azul asks.

“I can look up more later,” Idia says. “But for now, I need you to focus on work. There’s been a bit of a turf war.”

“A turf war,” Azul repeats after Idia. Great. He doesn’t need this problem right now but he can sure count on his underlings for not knowing better. “Any dead?”

“None, thankfully,” Idia answers. “That and the news being so focused on that politician means that none of the big news outlets is covering it extensively.”

“We’d like to keep it that way,” Azul nods. “And let me guess — is the problem with Savanaclaw again?”

“You got it right,” Idia says. “Their leader even sent us a message.”

“Oh?”

Now, this is interesting. He knows exactly who the leader of Savanaclaw is — Leona Kingscholar —- a rich boy sticking his fingers into a pie that doesn’t belong to him. But it’s not as if they’ve exchanged correspondences before.

“‘Get out before you regret it,’ he said.”

“Hah!” Azul snorts. “Should we send one back telling them we won’t go down easy.”

“A ‘never’ might suffice,” Idia shrugs.

“Yes, that does sound good,” Azul smiles. “Let everyone know — greet the Savanclaws with a ‘never’ next time they encounter them. As strongly as they can, that is.”

The flat feels eerily quiet when Azul gets back, and Azul realizes quickly it’s because the television isn’t on today. 

“I’m back,” he calls out carefully as he takes off his shoes, wondering if there would be a reply.

“Welcome back,” the reply comes, and Azul sighs in relief. Jade is still here after all.

He finds Jade at the balcony, staring out towards the dusk.

“Jade?” He asks as he approaches. “What are you doing?”

Jade shakes his head as he steps back inside.

“Just getting some air,” he answers. “I finished making dinner.”

He gestures towards the kitchen. Azul goes to check it out, seeing oven-baked fish, potatoes, and a side of vegetables.

This brings a chuckle out of Azul.

“Why, what’s funny?” Jade asks.

“No it’s just,” he looks at the food. “If you told me last week that I’d start eating healthier because I’m sheltering a fugitive, well, I wouldn’t have expected that at all.”

Much less for that fugitive to be Jade. 

Jade smiles.

“Being in hiding is hard,” he says. “Cooking and cleaning help keep me sane.”

“I can imagine,” Azul replies. He doesn’t know how Idia deals with being indoors 24/7. Really, Idia is the only person Azul knows who can live and work in the same place for years without leaving at all.

“Still, the last time I ate this healthy was,” Azul pauses as he realizes. His voice goes quiet. “Five years ago.”

Azul keeps his figure through exercise these days, not having the time to cook for himself. Sure, he picks out the healthier meals from the convenience store, but none of it is quite like this. He definitely let himself go a little when the Leech brothers left him.

Jade gives him an apologetic smile.

“I really am sorry about that,” he says softly.

“Why...”

“No,” Jade interrupts, knowing exactly what Azul is about to say. “I told you. No questions.”

“Not even on this?”

“Not even on this,” Jade replies quietly. 

He walks over to Azul’s side, extending his hand to hold Azul’s. Without much else to say, he leans his forehead to touch Azul’s.

“But everything else, you can have.”

He says it like it’s a promise.

Azul arrives at work the next day to Idia cowering in his seat. It takes him a while to realize there’s someone else there.

“Hullo,” the other man greets.

He’s not a small man, but his thin body gives him the impression of being smaller than he is. But he’s still smaller than Idia, which means Idia should have no fear of this other man.

Not that Idia can fight, Azul knows.

“You are?” He asks.

“Ruggie Bucchi from Savanaclaw,” the man replies with a wide grin. “Pleased to finally meet the famous Azul Ashengrotto.”

Savanaclaw is no longer wasting time going through their lower ranks to send a message, it seems. From the easy, confident way Ruggie carries himself, Azul can guess that he’s no ordinary foot soldier.

“To what do I owe the pleasure?” Azul keeps up his best customer service smile. “Could you have a message from Leona Kingscholar? Or is your visit here more of a personal nature?”

“Nah, I got nothing I want from you,” Ruggie shrugs. “Wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Leona.”

Calling the boss by his first name. Definitely not an ordinary foot soldier.

“Oh? I suppose he got my message.”

“‘Never’? Short and simple,” Ruggie grins. “But we have something here that might make you, ah, reconsider, I think?”

Ruggie waves around a brown envelope. Then, he passes it over the table towards Azul.

Azul looks at the envelope skeptically, opening it slowly.

Inside are photos. 

He knows exactly the building — it’s his building.

And there, inside the envelope, are pictures of him and Jade on the balcony. Pictures of him and Jade in the living room, the kitchen.

He had been careless. He thought they were safe enough with them being up on the 39th floor.

“Interesting, right?” Ruggie laughs. The man has a hyena-like laugh that Azul immediately dislikes. “We spied on your apartment hoping for some sort of lead — but imagine when we found you sheltering a murder suspect.”

Azul glares.

“And I suppose, you want the territories we’re fighting over to keep your silence?”

“Yes, you catch on quick,” Ruggie says. “We’re willing to give you three days to consider, or else...”

“Or else?”

“Or else, well, looks like Captain Riddle Rosehearts would have a very good day,” Ruggie seems so self-assured in this victory, grin unfading from his face. “To catch his murderer and takedown Azul Ashengrotto as an accomplice. Yes, Captain Rosehearts would have a good day indeed.”

He bows down as if finishing his show for Azul.

“Three days, Azul Ashengrotto,” he says. “That’s how long you have to consider.”

With that, Ruggie Bucci leaves their office.

Almost all at once, Idia uncurls himself from his seat.

“Azul!” He says, panic audible in his voice. “Why didn’t you tell me? Is that why you asked me to look up that politician?”

Azul sighs. 

“I told you it’s personal.”

He could really use a drink right now.

Azul gets home to Jade still over the stove, cooking what seems to be a simple stew. 

He has gotten used to getting home to Jade, he realizes, even if it’s only been a week since Jade started staying with him. It’s still strange seeing Jade without Floyd, but this, Jade with him, Jade in front of him —-

This is what he wants.

He walks behind Jade, not saying anything as a greeting before hugging Jade from the back.

“Azul?” Jade asks.

But when he’s met with silence, Jade says nothing more.

He lets Azul stay, leaning against his back.

“Good morning,” Jade greets him. He must’ve fallen asleep on the couch because Azul can see the bleary outline of his living room. He reaches out for his glasses, but before he could get to them, Jade hands them to him. “So, want to explain what happened at work yesterday?”

“As you’re allowed your secrets,” Azul grumbles. “I’m allowed mine.”

Jade doesn’t pry any further than that. He shrugs and returns to the kitchen to finish preparing breakfast.

There’s a part of Azul who knows from the beginning that this isn’t a permanent solution. He can’t just keep Jade in his flat and expects everything to blow over. No, this is a politician’s death first of all — and Captain Riddle Rosehearts is also not the type to ever give up. But he isn’t expecting to have to deal with it so soon.

That Leona Kingscholar plays dirty, which he as a fellow mob boss can respect, but it doesn’t mean he has to like it.

He picks up his phone to see missed calls from Idia. He sighs. Figures Idia would call him about the most recent update. 

Glancing at Jade in the kitchen, Azul makes his resolve that he can solve this without bending to Savanaclaw. He goes outside to the balcony to call Idia back.

“The men aren’t happy,” Idia instantly says as soon as Azul’s line connects to his. “They’re saying Savanaclaw’s men were aggressive last night.”

“Tell them to hold down the line,” Azul says while pinching his temple. It’s too early in the morning to deal with all this, but he’s sure Idia has been dealing with it all through the night while he slept soundly on Jade’s chest. “We still have three days to figure things out.”

“Two, really,” Idia reminds Azul. “Look, I’m not against giving up territory to Savanaclaw. We can always expand elsewhere, but.”

“But?”

“But as long as you have Jade Leech living with you, they would always have something over us,” Idia reminds.

It’s rare to hear this serious, straight to the point side of Idia. Azul would’ve been touched at his partner’s unusual severity if it isn’t for the issue at hand.

“I’m not giving up Jade,” he says to Idia. “We can handle Savanaclaw some other way.”

“I know you’re plotting something,” Idia sighs. “Whatever it is, you better come up with it quickly. We don’t have much time.”

“Got it,” Azul says. With that, Idia ends the phone call.

No greeting at the beginning and none at the end. As expected of Idia.

Azul then turns back to see Jade at the doorway of the flat, smiling sadly at him.

“So I am causing you trouble,” he mutters. “Sorry, I overheard. Something about having to hand me over? This Savanaclaw group is pushing you into a corner, huh?”

Azul shakes his head. 

“You made a deal with me, Jade,” Azul says. “I intend to see that through to the end.”

“But—-“

“Savanaclaw is full of barking dogs and yowling cats, but they don’t bite,” Azul assures. “Besides, you should know me.”

“I do know you,” Jade laughs. “You always follow through with your deals.”

“And I don’t intend to have an unsatisfied customer,” Azul grins. “After all, my record’s unbroken since middle school.”

Jade smiles softly.

Here, in the early morning sunlight, there’s something ethereal about Jade Leech. Something that reminds Azul that Jade does not belong in this flat with him.

Something that makes Azul want to keep him here.

“Come on,” Jade says. “Breakfast is getting cold.”

Azul follows behind Jade, his flat enveloping the two of them.

A perfect fit for two.

_“Are you serious about this?” A young Jade asked Azul. They recently graduated from high school, and Jade and Floyd were following Jade to a shady laundromat._

_“I’m sure this is a mob front,” Azul replied coolly. He had all the confidence and arrogance that youth afforded him back then._

_“No, I mean,” Jade said with a wry smile. “Are you sure this is what you want to do?”_

_“I think it suits me,” Azul said. “And I’d like you two to come with.”_

_“I’ll go wherever, as long as it’s with you,” Jade replied._

_He too had the kind of self-assurance only youth can afford someone._

_“As long as it’s fun,” Floyd shrugged. “So, let’s go through with this?”_

_“Yeah,” Azul beamed happily at his friends’ words. “Let’s go through with this.”_

Idia doesn’t greet him as he goes through their office door that morning. Leave it to his partner to sulk a few more days about being left out of something so important - something that might alter the course of their business.

But to be fair, Azul did not think that it would.

He takes off his coat, hanging it from the rack as he sits down on the sofa beside Idia.

“Any more complaints?” Azul asks Idia.

“Not yet,” Idia says without looking away from his computer screen. Azul isn’t sure what Idia is working on, but it seems like Idia has been working on it for a while, and from how he slouches his back to cover it, he’s not keen on sharing just yet.

Azul lazed on the sofa but he barely had time to sink in before his phone rang.

An unknown number, but that wasn’t uncommon in his occupation.

“Hello?” He picked up the phone.

“Hullo,” came the impish voice from the other side.

Ruggie Bucchi.

Azul quickly sits up, alert at Ruggie calling him.

“What do you want? We still have two days to the deal.”

“C’mon, don’t be so cold,” Ruggie laughs. “I just wanted to check in on you.” 

“You don’t have to,” Azul replies coldly. 

“We might’ve told Captain Rosehearts,” Ruggie laughed. “That we might have information. He’s very interested.”

A bluff, Azul wants to call out, but he bites back his words. There’s no use arguing with Ruggie over the phone, not while he has a bigger headache to deal with.

“Anyway, two days,” Ruggie says. “Two days to choose between your territory or your boyfriend.”

“I know,” Azul growls back into the receiver.

This is met with that hyena-like laughter on Ruggie’s end. Without saying anymore, he hangs up, leaving Azul in the office with Idia.

“I told you,” Idia says coolly. “You can’t count on them not using Jade Leech for blackmail again after this. You have to make the right choice for everyone Azul. You’re not a leader for no reason.”

Azul sighs.

“I know, I know — just, give me a day more to think about this.”

Idia shrugs. 

He has nothing more to say on the matter presently and returns to his computer.

And Azul, sinking on the sofa begins to think up a plan.

Jade finished cooking dinner by the time Azul gets back, the television turned off from quiz shows or the news.

“I made you your favorite,” Jade smiles as he serves the obvious dish.

“Karaage,” Azul mutters in wonderment.

Homemade karaage, on top of it. 

“It’s still your favorite, right?” Jade asks. “It’s not good for you, I would say that much.”

“I deserve things that are not good for me once in a while,” Azul replies. Without waiting for the rice, he picks up a piece of the deep-fried chicken and pops it into his mouth. 

Jade’s homemade karaage is truly something else. 

“I also figured it’s time we break this out,” Jade says, picking up the second six-pack that Azul bought from the fridge. “And isn’t karaage the perfect food for beer?”

“It is,” Azul agrees. “And I sorely need a drink right now.”

“That’s written all over your face,” Jade chuckles.

Five years they’ve been apart. Five years and Jade can still read him like an open book.

Meanwhile, he doesn’t even know if he can reach Jade at all.

Jade, who’s right there in front of him.

He still wants to appear capable in front of Jade. He doesn’t want to bring up the issue with Savanaclaw. Not here, in their space for two.

“Come now,” Jade says, his voice as quietly certain as ever. “Let’s eat, then we can drink beer.”

Azul is quiet as he eats his karaage with rice, watching if Jade would show that he actually knows about everything. But Jade is as calm as ever as they eat, and he still smiles so brightly when they break out the beer.

“You know,” Jade starts. “I always associate this beer with you.”

“With me?”

“It’s one of those middling brands, not cheap enough to be considered cheap, not expensive enough to be classy. But you always buy this brand.”

“It’s nice,” Azul defends his choice.

“I’m not saying it isn’t,” Jade laughs. “It’s just you.”

Azul takes another sip of his beer, all while watching Jade. 

“So you’re saying you didn’t drink this beer at all while we’re apart.”

Jade shakes his head as he plays with the can in his hand.

“That’s not true. Sometimes, I drink it to remember you.”

“You’re making it sound like I died.”

Jade chuckles at this.

“I know we’re the ones who left you,” Jade says quietly. “And I’m not expecting you to forgive us for that but... I did miss you, you know?”

_And I missed you too_ , Azul holds back. 

“Have you ever thought of returning?” He says instead.

“To the mob?” Jade says. “Sometimes.”

“When you miss me?” Azul teases.

“When I miss you,” Jade says so earnestly that Azul feels like he could forget the last five years. Forget that Jade ever left him without him knowing why. Forget that Jade wouldn’t let him ask anything.

In the quiet of the moment, he leans in towards Jade, and Jade towards him.

Like magnets, they’re pulled together into a kiss that tastes like the beer they’ve been drinking. Azul clings to Jade, their tongues entangled together to taste every bit they can from each other. 

Then, Azul remembers.

Azul remembers Jade left him. He remembers that he doesn’t know why. He remembers that Jade wouldn’t let him ask why.

And without thinking, he pushes Jade away.

Pushes everything he wants away.

Jade smiles sadly at him.

“It’s not,” Azul starts, breathlessly. “Not what you think.”

“It’s okay,” Jade says, he leans his forehead on Azul’s then looks straight into his eyes.

“It’s okay,” Jade repeats. “I understand.”

Without another word, Jade gets up, walking towards the balcony.

Azul takes a deep breath before getting up and returning to his room, closing the door as a barrier between him and Jade.

Azul isn’t sure what he is to find in the kitchen the next day, but he isn’t surprised to see that Jade isn’t there. He walks over to the kitchen, one which Jade has imprinted his image on so perfectly. 

There, he finds a note:

_‘Azul,_

_Thank you for everything.  
I won’t trouble you anymore._

_Jade’_

Azul wonders if things would turn out differently if he didn’t push Jade away last night. But wondering now is too late. 

“Damn it,” he curses to himself.

There has to be a way he could have everything.

Just as he’s about to go get changed, his phone rings. This time, there’s a caller ID — Idia Shroud.

Azul picks up the phone, but before he can say any sort of greeting, Idia goes off:

“Look, I’m still upset you didn’t tell me about Jade Leech,” he says without any greeting. “But I finished what you told me to do.”

“What I told you to do?” Azul asks back, unable to instantly recall exactly what did he asked Idia to do.

“That politician,” Idia says. “I looked him up.”

“Oh,” Azul answers, his voice sounding extremely flat even to himself. “And?”

“Turns out he’s related to you.”

This wakes Azul up from his stupor.

“To me?” Azul asks, wide-eyed. He didn’t recall this man when he saw his face on the news. The name didn’t sound familiar either.

“More accurately, to our mob,” Idia says. “His business at the time turned for the worse when it became our territory —no doubt because of you bolstering up businesses that chose to partner with you. This led him to bankruptcy, and there were some cases of intimidation by the mob — most likely, considering the time, by the Leech brothers.”

So that’s what connects a local politician to the Leech brothers.

“But they’re no longer involved in the mob,” Azul mutters. 

“Well, they’re probably not his end goal,” Idia continues. “I hacked through his personal computer and — looks like he’s been searching for you.”

“For me?”

“Yes,” Idia answers with a sigh. “Most likely, you’re his actual target and Jade was just his way of getting to you.”

Azul could scream. 

It’s just like Jade to hide something like this from him. Even if he said he was going to rely on Azul, he always held something back. 

So the politician was aiming at him. Jade didn’t want to tell him this because he doesn’t want Azul to know. He doesn’t want Azul to know a man was killed in his name.

But at the same time, if it was Jade who killed the man, he would’ve been more careful. He wouldn’t leave DNA evidence all over the scene — Azul has enough trust in Jade’s ability for that much.

The gears run in Azul’s head as the pieces finally clicked together.

“Alright,” Azul says, taking a deep breath. “Idia, I’ve another favor to ask you.”

“Okay?”

“Jade Leech is gone from my flat,” Azul says. “Can you take care of everything with Savanaclaw?”

“Oh, work-related this time,” Idia says dryly. “Of course. Are you going somewhere?”

“I need to find Jade Leech.”

“Azul that’s—“

“Don’t worry,” Azul says. “I’ll handle this.”

Azul knows exactly where Jade would be because it’s where he would go if he was in Jade’s position. 

The old, run-down elementary school.

He walks down the hallways to the fourth-grade class. 

He slides the door open, and with that, a tall man’s silhouette is revealed.

“I knew you’d be here,” Azul says.

Jade turns to him, a melancholic smile on his face.

“How did you find me?” 

Azul shrugs.

“It’s where I would go,” he says as he approaches Jade. He leans on the worn-down table as he faces Jade. “In some ways, we’re similar.”

“Indeed,” Jade chuckles.

In a way, this elementary school classroom is exactly the same as it was many years ago. When it was their classroom. Azul is flooded with nostalgia — him sitting in the front of the class, absorbing every bit of knowledge he can. The Leech brothers coming up to his desk, asking him to have lunch together.

“You broke our deal. You ran away.”

“And with this, you don’t have to protect me anymore,” Jade says simply. “Works out fine, right?”

Azul huffs, which brings out a laugh from Jade.

“You huffing like that reminds me of our elementary school days,” Jade says, his voice gentle and quiet. “You’ve always done that when you don’t get your way.”

“Maybe,” Azul says with an annoyed click of his tongue. “But I realized, I can still read you. Even now.”

“Oh?” Jade tilts his head.

“You didn’t kill a man,” Azul says. “Floyd did. That’s why you’re taking the fall for him.”

Jade laughs once more, his laughter echoing throughout the empty classroom.

“What leads you to that conclusion?”

“You’re too careful to leave DNA evidence, and,” Azul muses. “On the day you came to me, you had no wound. None that would suggest you that you would be leaving a trail of blood behind you. You left your blood there on purpose to implicate yourself, knowing that the police have data on you from years ago, back when you were still working for me.”

“Impressive,” Jade muses. “As expected from you, Azul.”

Azul shrugs. 

“I still have a couple of questions, though.”

“Oh?”

“You broke the deal,” Azul says with a sly smile. “Now, I get to ask you what I want. That’s part of the deal too.”

“You’re right,” Jade says. “You can ask me whatever you want. But I can’t guarantee my answer to be the truth.”

“Hm, alright, let’s start with this — why did you and Floyd leave me five years ago?”

Jade’s smile doesn’t falter in the slightest. Looks like he knew this question would come up.

“It’s our mother,” he says. “She was sick and our line of work didn’t exactly help. She was stressed about us and wanted us to go straight. Thinking it was the last wish of the woman who gave life to us, Floyd and I followed her wish.”

“I remember her being sick,” Azul nods. “Alright, I’m satisfied with that.”

“Are you?” Jade asks with a chuckle. “I didn’t think you would be.”

“Five years ago, I wouldn’t be,” Azul agrees. “But five years had passed — for me now, I can accept that as an explanation.”

Azul looks towards the sun, streaming right through the classroom window.

“Times like this, it makes me feel like I could go back to being an elementary school student,” Azul says quietly. “A time before I met you and Floyd. Things would’ve been very different if you two had not greeted me then.”

“In any world,” Jade says. “I would’ve approached you.”

“You sound so sure of that.”

“I am sure,” Jade says, looking straight into Azul’s eyes. “No matter what, no matter the place, Floyd and I would’ve approached you that day. Even if we were born as mermaids in the sea, we would’ve come together.”

“Mermaids in the sea,” Azul snorts. “What a fantastical idea. But maybe in that kind of life, we wouldn’t be in this mess now.”

“Indeed,” Jade agrees. “But anyway, you said you have a couple of questions. That isn’t the only one, right?”

Azul nods.

“I do,” he says, pushing a loose strand of hair behind his ear. “Why did you come to me?”

“To seek shelter,” Jade answers.

“No, that’s not true,” Azul says. “You manipulated it so that the crime scene has your DNA all over it. You were ready to take the fall for Floyd. Yet, you still came to me. Still made a deal with me. Why?”

Jade goes quiet, shifting his eyes away from Azul’s stare.

“I guess,” Jade says, his voice barely louder than a whisper. “I wanted to see you again.”

Azul goes quiet at this honest declaration from a man he once called a friend. From a man, he loves from the bottom of his heart.

A man who he had hated for leaving him.

“I wanted to tell you,” Jade says. “That in a way, I am yours. I’ll always be yours.”

At that exact moment, police sirens could be heard from outside.

“I won’t implicate you,” Jade promises. “But I have to go.”

“Not fair,” Azul says, his lips quivering. “It’s not fair that you get to say that then leave me again.”

Jade’s smile as he walks out the classroom door is the saddest Azul had ever seen it. 

Left alone in the classroom, Azul curls to his knees, holding back his tears.

He refuses to cry for Jade.

He refuses to cry for Jade who’s leaving him again.

Azul is in his office when the news comes on. 

He stares blankly at the screen as Jade, arrested by the police makes his statement. 

“We have a complicated past,” Jade says. “And I was forced to kill him in self-defense when he came after me.”

“Do you think the judge would buy that?” Idia says, turning around from his computer.

Azul makes a gruff noise in reply. Even if the judge buys into that, they’re still putting Jade away for a long time. Perhaps, even, for life.

“This isn’t what you want,” Idia observes.

“Does it matter what I want now?” Azul sighs. 

“You’re Azul,” Idia points out. “What you want is always what matters most to you. Even at the cost of everything.”

Azul laughs.

“Even at the cost of everything, huh?”

Riddle Rosehearts slams his hands on the table, causing everything on the flimsy interrogation room table to shake.

“And you’re telling me, Floyd Leech,” he says, barely holding back his temper. “That you have no idea where your brother is?”

“I never knew from the very beginning,” Floyd replies with an easy shrug, unintimidated by Riddle. 

“He didn’t contact you? Nothing?”

“Nothing,” Floyd replies/

“How about Azul Ashengrotto?”

“Azul, huh?” Floyd still wears a silly smile on his face, and the rest of the room can tell that this is aggravating Riddle even more. “That’s a name I haven’t heard in a long, long time. Really, Little Goldfish, are you going back to my elementary school days?”

“I’m—“ Riddle huffs, crossing his arms. “I just can’t believe you’ve no idea where the two of them are!”

“I do know something about them though,” Floyd grins.

“What? Anything is fine.”

Floyd leans back on his seat as he speaks:

“Wherever they are, I’m sure they’re happy.”


End file.
